y, for being an American; he was dreadfully thin
and had straight black hair, and a queer little pointed black beard, and
I _think_ he spoke through his nose; and really I began to be haunted by
a recollection of this man, and to think I was going to have a cousin
just like him.' Then she told me about going over to Hunsdon and finding
he had arrived. She said that before the end of the day they were fast
friends."

"He was not like what she expected, then?"

"Just the opposite. She made me laugh about that. She said, 'I like
handsome people, and I like an English style of beauty for men. My poor
dear Sir John is not handsome, though he has a good face; but really
when a man is good-looking _and_ looks good, I can't resist him.'"

"You seem to have been much occupied with this question of looks. Did
you spend the whole hour talking about them?"

"Mamma! Why that was only the beginning."

"What was the rest, then? or some of it, at least?"

"She told me how good Maurice was to his grandfather, and how fond Mr.
Beresford grew of him. Do you know that Maurice was just going to try to
get away to Canada at the very time Mr. Beresford had his last attack?
Lady Dighton says he was excessively anxious to go, and yet he never
showed the least impatience or disappointment when he found he could not
be spared."

"He must have felt that he was bound to his grandfather."

"He nursed him just like a woman, Lady Dighton says, and one could fancy
it. Could not you, mamma?"

"I don't find it difficult to believe anything good of Maurice."

"Oh! and then she told me about Hunsdon. She was born there, and lived
there till she was married. She told me all about why Mr. Beresford left
it to Maurice, and not to her. But, mamma, I cannot understand how
Maurice can be so long away from home. I should think he must have
quantities of things to attend to; and she told me Sir John was always
busy, though his estate is not so large as Hunsdon. Only think, mamma,
of Maurice, our Maurice, having more than ten thousand a year!"

"Well, dear, since we have come to talking of our neighbour's fortunes,
I think we had better go to bed."

"Oh! yes; how thoughtless I am, keeping you up so. And I must be early
to-morrow, for Lady Dighton is coming to see you, and Maurice wants me
to go with him for a walk first. Not to see anything, but just for a
walk."

Mrs. Costello lay down that night with a great feeling of content with
regard to her d